Couple-up game



Oct. 13, 1970 c. F. FOLEY ET AL CO[JPI|'l--HP GAME Filed July 11, 1968 INCENTORS CHARLES F FOLEY M A MW w United States Patent O US. Cl. 273-1 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Game apparatus for a plurality of players. A number of hooks are provided and are divided into a predetermined number of equal groups, each group of hooks being different in color. One hook from each group is releasably attached to a different body member of each player. Cooperating groups of cards are provided with corresponding color identification markings. The cards are selected at random in pairs to determine which hook attached to one player is to be interconnected with which hook attached to another player.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to apparatus for participating in a new and improved game, and more particularly relates to a combination of game devices including a plurality of coded hooks that are releasably connected to the body members of the players of the game and are designed to be interconnected in pairs, one from each of a pair of players, in a sequence chosen at random by means of a cooperating group of coded cards.

Description of the prior art Whenever a group of people gather together for mutual enjoyment, as at a party, some organized activity is desirable. Without organized activity, a party often breaks up into small sub-groups or couples that do not mix together. To overcome this problem, many party games have been devised to initiate and maintain active participation on the part of all persons present. To be effective, a partly game should make all present desire to participate in some manner. All who participate should enjoy the game and it should act to unite the group and give a sense of group participation.

Many different games have been designed to insure group participation ranging from charades to passing an orange from person to person without using the hands.

We are not aware, however, of any game that employs the unique devices of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides game apparatus for insuring participation by a plurality of players. Each player is provided with a plurality of color coded hooks that are releasably attachable to different body members of each player. A set of cooperating cards are provided that are color coded in the same manner as the hooks. The hooks and the cards are divided into a predetermined number of groups and each player is provided with one hook from each group. The cards are selected at random to determine which hook attached to one player is to be interconnected to which hook of another player. The pair of players that successfully interconnects the greatest number of hooks wins the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a hook used in the present invention together with the mounting apparatus therefor;

3,533,622 Patented Oct. 13, 1970 FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals are used throughout the several views to indicate like elements of the invention, there are disclosed a group of game devices including a plurality of hooks 10. Each hook 10 includes a straight shank portion 10a and a curved upper portion 10b connected thereto. Upper portion 10b is connected at one end to the upper end of shank portion 10a. The free end of curved upper portion 10b is provided with a knob 11 that is spaced from the point at which upper portion 10b is connected to shank portion 10a. Any one of hooks 10 is designed to be selectively engageable with any one other of the hooks 10, as shown in FIG. 5. Hooks 10 are preferably constructed from a plastic material and have a generally square cross section with the four corners of the square being removed. Each hook 10 thus has four fiat faces 12, 12a, 13 and 13a. Faces 12 and 12a are parallel to each other as are faces 13 and 13a, and the distance between these pairs of faces is equal. The transverse dimension between these pairs of faces 12, 12a, and 13, 13a is slightly greater than the distance between knob 11 and the upper end of shank portion 10a. Thus, when the upper curved portion 10b of one hook is inserted into another hook, some resistance will be encountered if a pair of opposing faces contact the opposite sides of the opening into the hook. On the other hand, because the corner portions between the faces of the hooks 10 have been removed, the transverse dimension between the corner portions is slightly smaller than the opening into the hook between knob 11 and the upper end of shank portion 10a. Therefore, if resistance is encountered when the hooks are being interconnected, one hook can be rotated slightly with respect to the other to permit easy interconnection. Further, once the hooks have been interconnected, the relationship of the hook size to the opening size discourages accidental disengagement. It is further noted that the diameter of knob 11 is significantly larger than the opening into the hook so that knob 11 cannot pass through the opening.

The bottom end of shank portion 10a is also provided with an enlarged portion or knob 15. Formed or mounted a predetermined distance above knob 15 is a stop member 16 extending outwardly in opposite directions from faces 12 and 12a. The portion of shank portion 10a that lies between stop member 16 and knob 15 has a circular cross section.

To aid in attaching hook 10 to a selected body member of a player, a cup-like base member 18 is provided having a peripheral edge portion 19 and a dome-shaped connector portion 20. Edge portion 19 lies in a plane that is generally perpendicular to a line extending through shank portion 10a. Connector potion 20 extends upwardly and inwardly from the inner edge of edge portion 19 and is provided with an opening 21 in the center thereof. Opening 21 is circular and is concentric with the inner and outer edges of edge portion 19. Attached to or formed as a part of the upper surface of connector portion 20 is a cylindrical collar 22. Collar 22 has an axial opening that is coextensive with opening 21 in connector portion 20. The diameter of opening 21 is slightly smaller than the diameter of knob 15 but slightly larger than the diameter of shank portion a. Base member 18 is also constructed from a flexible plastic material so that knob can be forced downwardly through the opening in collar 22 .into the interior of base member 18, as best shown in FIG. 2. The penetration of shank portion 10:! into base member 18 is limited by stop member 16 engaging the upper edge of collar 22. Each hook 10 can thus be securely mounted in a corresponding base member 18 but can be removed if sufficiently opposing forces are applied.

A pair of narrow, generally rectangular openings 25 and 26 are formed in connector portion 20 of base member 18 on opposite sides thereof adjacent peripheral edge portion 19. A flexible strap member 27 is provided having a center portion 27a, two opposite end portions 27b and 270 and a pair of terminal ends 27d and 27e. Rectangular openings and 26 are slightly larger than the dimensions of flat strap member 27 so that strap member 27 can be inserted through openings 25 and 26 with central portion 27w lying between the openings and end portions 271; and 27a extending outwardly from the openings. The two end portions 27b and 27c are adapted to extend in opposite directions around a selected body member of the player to secure base member 18 and hook 10 thereto. A block-like tie member 28 is provided to releasably tie end portions 27b and 27c together to secure strap member 27 to the selected body member of the player. Tie member 28 is a plastic block having a rectangular slot 28a formed therein through which end portion 27b and 270 are inserted in an overlying relationship. The short dimension of the slot 28a is such that the opposite sides thereof frictionally engage the overlying end portions 27b and 270. Tie member 28 can be slided along strap member 27 but will retain its position when stopped. The terminal ends 27d and 27e are folded back and secured to themselves beyond the confines of the tie member 28 to increase the thickness of each. The double thickness of the terminal ends 27d and 27e prevent easy removal of tie member 28 from the overying strap end portions 27b and 270.

In playing the game, a plurality of hooks are used, the hooks being divided into a predetermined number of groups having the same number of hooks in each group. First indicia means are provided for distinguishing the hooks in each group from the hooks in the other groups. In the preferred embodiment, each group of hooks is a different color. As a typical example, five groups of hooks could be used, each group having a different identifying color, with ten hooks in each group. As shown in FIG. 5, each player of the game attaches one hook from each of the five groups to a different body member. Preferably, a hook would be attached to each leg, to each arm and to the forehead. Each player would thus have five hooks attached to him, one from each group, each being different in color from the others. The hooks would be attached to the body members of each player in a random manner so that no two players have all of the same colored hooks on the same body members.

A set of cooperating cards are provided each having an upper face and a lower face. An upper face 31 of a typical card is shown in FIG. 6. The upper faces of all of the cards would have the same configuration so that the identity of the card would be kept secret until turned over. The cards are divided into the same number of groups as there are groups of hooks. Second indicia means are carried by the lower faces of the cards for distinguishing the cards in each group from the cards in the other groups. The lower faces of six different cards 20 are shown in FIG. 7. The lower face of each card 30 is imprinted with a spot of color 32-36 to indicate the group to which it belongs. In the preferred embodiment, as shown on the drawings, color 32 is red, color 33 is blue, color 34 is green, color 35 is yellow, and color 36 is black. If five different color coded groups of hooks are being used, then five different color coded groups of cards are used. Each hook color would have a corresponding card color.

When the game is being played, each player first attaches five different colored hooks to five different body members as shown in FIG. 5, by placing strap member 27 around the body member and securing it thereto by means of tie member 28. Each hook member 10 thus extends outwardly from the body member of the player. To begin the game, a pair of cards are selected at random to determine which hook from one player is to be attached to which hook of another player. When the two cards have been drawn, the two players attempt to interconnect the corresponding colored hooks. Additional pairs of cards are drawn and the players attempt to interconnect as many pairs of hooks as possible. Since the colors are selected at random, the hook on one players leg may have to be attached to the hook on another players arm, followed by just the opposite situation on the next draw of the cards. If several different couples are playing the game, the winner is the couple who successfully attaches the greatest number of hooks without breaking them apart.

Since the hooks 10 are releasably attached to base members 18, they can be pulled out of the base members if too much pressure is applied. Therefore, each pair of players must be careful not to exert too much pressure on the interconnected hooks as they are trying to interconnect another pair of books. This feature adds to the difficulty of interconnecting the hooks as the game progresses. It is also a safety feature since the hooks will readily disengage from the base members 18 if the party should fall.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus for a plurality of players, comprising:

(a) a plurality of hooks, any one of said hooks being selectively engageable with any one other of said hooks, said hooks being divided into a predetermined number of groups having the same number of hooks in each group;

(b) indicia on each of said groups of hooks distinguishing the hooks in each group from the hooks in the other groups;

(c) means for separately attaching one hook from each group to a different body member of each player of said game;

(d) a set of cooperating cards each having an upper and a lower face, the upper faces of all of said cards having the same configuration, said cards being divided into said predetermined number of groups; and

(e) indicia carried by said lower faces of said cards distinguishing the cards in each group from the cards in the other groups, said indicia on one of each of said groups of hooks being identical to said indicia carried by one of each of said groups of said cards, said cards being selected at random in pairs to determine which hooks attached to a pair of players are to be interconnected.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said hooks comprises a straight shank portion and a curved upper portion, wherein said means for attaching said book includes a cup-like base member having a peripheral edge portion for engagement with the selected body member of the player, and a dome-shaped connector portion with an opening formed in the center thereof, said shank portion extending through said opening, and means for releasably retaining said shank portion in said open- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for releasably retaining said shank portion in said opening includes a knob formed on the end of said shank portion, said knob having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said opening for frictional engagement therewith, and wherein a stop member is mounted on said shank portion a predetermined distance above said knob to limit the travel of said shank portion into said opening in said dome-shaped connector portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a pair of narrow, generally rectangular openings are formed in said connector portion of said base member on opposite sides thereof adjacent said peripheral edge portion, wherein a flexible strap member having a center portion and two opposite end portions is inserted through said pair of openings, said two end portions of said strap member being adapted to extend in opposite directions around the body member of the player, and wherein tie means are provided to releasably tie said end portions of said strap member together to secure said strap member to the selected body member of the player.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said tie means is a block-like member having a rectangular slot formed therein through which said end portions on said strap member are inserted in an overlying relationship within said slot, said slot having dimensions such that the opposite sides thereof frictionally engage said overlying end portions of said strap member, the opposite terminal ends of said strap member each being folded back and secured to itself beyond the confines of said tie means to increase the thickness thereof and prevent easy removal of said tie means therefrom.

6. Game apparatus for two or more players, comprismg:

(a) a plurality of interconnectable hooks, said hooks being divided into a predetermined number of equal groups, each of said hooks having a shank portion and a curved upper portion;

(b) indicia on each of the groups of hooks distinguishing the hooks in each group from the hooks in the other groups;

(c) means for releasably attaching one hook from each group to a different body member of each player, said means including a cup-like base member having a peripheral edge portion and a dome-shaped connector portion, said connector portion having an 1 opening therein, said shank portion extending through said opening;

(d) means for relaseably securing said shank portion in said opening in said connector portion;

(e) means including a flexible strap member releasably securing said base member to the selected body member of the player with said peripheral edge portion engaging the body member and said hook protruding outwardly from the opening in said connector portion;

(f) a set of cooperating cards each having an upper and a lower face, the upper faces of all of said cards having the same features, said cards being divided into said predetermined number of groups; 'and (g) indicia carried by said lower faces of said cards distinguishing the cards in each group from the cards in the other groups, said indicia on one of each of said groups of hooks being identical to said indicia carried by one of each of said groups of .said cards, said cards being selected at random in pairs to determine which hooks attached to a pair of players are to be interconnected.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1969 Infante 273-1 XR w ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

